Adam Ondra establishes Bomba 9b at Arco, Italy

"Last try best try" is an often-used saying, but in the most recent case of Adam Ondra it should read "Last day best day" since only a few hours ago the 29-year-old freed his project at Arco, Italy, shortly before having to return home to the Czech Republic. The route is located at the crag Hotel Olivo at Bus de La Stria and was bolted ten years ago by Ondra who, at the time, considered it impossible. Ondra now believes it weighs in at the "upper end" 9b.

The route is located just to the right of Trofeo dell'Adriatico, the 9a+ freed recently by Gabriele Moroni and repeated by Ondra at the end of January, and boasts a first section to a rest graded about 8b+. This is followed by a 10-move crux which, were it to be on the ground, would be an 8C boulder in its own right. It's hard to tell from the video, but the crimps are absolutely minute and brutally far apart.

Ondra invested 5 days of efforts while cleaning and attempting the line which is now called Bomba, taking after the Italian expression that implies that the pitch is awesome. But also because, as Ondra recalls, it is "Sad that people in Ukraine are dealing with very different kinds of bombs..."

ADAM ONDRA 9b - 9c
03/2010 Golpe de Estado, Siurana, Spain, repeat
02/2011 La Capella, Siurana, Spain. 9b, first ascent
03/2011 Chaxi Raxi, Oliana, Spain. 9b, first ascent
04/2011 Chilam Balam, Villanueva del Rosario, Spain. 9b, repeat
04/2011 La Planta de Shiva, Villanueva del Rosario, Spain. 9b, first ascent
10/2012 Change, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 9b+, first ascent
02/2013 Fight or Flight, Oliana, Spain. 9b, repeat
02/2013 Dura Dura, Oliana, Spain. 9b+, first ascent
08/2013 Iron Curtain, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 9b, first ascent
08/2013 Move, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 9b, first ascent
12/2013 Vasil Vasil, Sloup, Czech Republic. 9b+, first ascent
02/2014 First Round First Minute, Margalef, Spain. 9b, repeat
11/2015 C.R.S., Mollans, France. 9b, first ascent
02/2016 Stoking the Fire, Santa Linya, Spain. 9b, repeat
10/2016 Robin Úd 9b, Alternativna stena, Slovakia, first ascent
02/2017 Mamichula, Oliana, Spain. 9b, first ascent
04/2017 Queen Line, Laghel - Arco, Italy, 9b, first ascent
04/2017 Lapsus, Andonno, Italy, 9b, first repeat
07/2017 Move Hard, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 9b, first ascent
09/2017 Silence, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 9c, first ascent
11/2017 One Slap, Laghel - Arco, Italy, 9b, first repeat
01/2018 Eagle-4, St Léger, France, first ascent
07/2018 Disbelief, Acephale, Canada, 9b first ascent
02/2019 Neanderthal, Santa Linya, Spain, 9b repeat
11/2021 Erebor, Arco, Italy, 9b repeat
12/2021 Taurus, Byci Skala, Czech Republic, 9b first ascent
03/2022 Bomba, Arco, Italy, 9b first ascent

Info: www.adamondra.com, Instagram Adam Ondra, La Sportiva, Mammut